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Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Pools Ceremony

Pool Ceremony 2025

Roosevelt Pools Restoration Complete  
 

Historic Roosevelt Pools Restoration Reaches Completion

On August 21, 2025, a crowd gathered at Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Pools to celebrate the completed restoration of this national treasure. The ribbon cutting marked the culmination of nearly a decade of work to preserve the waters that brought President Franklin D. Roosevelt comfort and inspiration during his battle with polio, tying him deeply to Warm Springs.

Roosevelt Pools before restoration showing deteriorated structure
Before: Decades of erosion left the pools unable to retain water.
Roosevelt Pools after restoration showing renewed structure
After: Restored structure and spring-fed design preserved.
The project began when volunteers with Friends of Roosevelt's Little White House embraced the idea of restoring the pools to their original condition. That vision soon grew into a statewide campaign led by Friends of Georgia State Parks and its board of directors. Costs rose over time, reaching just under $3.7 million before the most recent phase and approaching $4 million overall. The work slowed during 2020, but persistence and determination carried it forward.

Support came from every level. Friends expresses thanks to Representative Debbie Buckner, who championed state funding; to the National Park Service, which awarded a $500,000 Save America's Treasures grant; to the Callaway Foundation, which contributed $200,000; and to the hundreds of individuals who gave five and ten dollars each. Together, these efforts proved Roosevelt's words from 1933 true:

"…that people acting in a group can accomplish things which no individual acting alone could even hope to bring about."
— Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933

Today, the restored pools stand as a lasting reminder of Roosevelt's resilience and vision. The renewed walls, repaired piping, and preserved spring-fed design ensure that visitors for generations to come can appreciate this historic site.

Ribbon cutting ceremony at Roosevelt Pools with crowd of supporters
Ribbon Cutting: Supporters and partners gathered on August 21, 2025, to mark the completion of the project.

Support Future Preservation

While the Roosevelt Pools restoration is now complete, Friends continues to lead important projects across Georgia's State Parks and Historic Sites. Your gift helps care for Georgia's State Parks natural wonders for generations to come.

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